Tip Toe Pose

The BOY and I had planned for another Friday of outdoor fun today. However, by the time we got moving (I slept over 10 hours last night), the skies were starting to turn dark.

This is the view from our backyard as the storm rolled by, which was soon followed by large drops of rain.

With the change in plans, I decided to go take a yoga class. I try to get to a class at least once a week. Last weekend, we were out of town (although we did do some yoga on the pier), and I won’t be able to go this Sunday because I am spending tomorrow night in the city with some girl friends. So as the rain began to pour, I headed out to the studio for a noon class. I was excited to see that the teacher was one of my favorites. She always does a unique and challenging class and reminds us to stay present throughout (which I often need). My intention for the hour was to forget any outside worries or stresses and enjoy spending my Friday afternoon at a yoga class as opposed to at work.

It’s a good thing the class was only an hour because I was sweating from every pore in my body. I think the last 7 days of exercise caught up with me a bit because my arms and legs were shaking in every pose. The thunder rumbling above was almost surreal. But I had a smile on my face and loved the feeling of inner peace I felt during the class. We tried a new pose today (new to me anyways) called tip toe pose, using blocks to find balance and get into this hard position.

The instructor encouraged us to slowly remove one hand from the block and then the other to meet together at heart center. She said that sometimes you fall, but that it is okay, we should just try it and see what happens. I was able to remove my hands, one time for a second, the other for a few. I wiggled and my ankle wobbled and when my hands returned to the blocks, they held on tight. I had forgotten how much fun it can be to feel off balance. I have been feeling stressed out lately (mostly work related), but during this pose, I was reminded that sometimes when in limbo we topple, but other times we learn something new. It is not always bad to feel off balance (especially when you have blocks to rescue you). New discoveries can follow these times of unease and opportunity for growth often emerges.

As the class wound down and we rolled back for shivasana, I was feeling more relaxed than I had all week. The instructor reminded us that stress is temporary, the unease will pass, and that our essence will live on forever. It was a beautiful lesson after a lovely yoga practice. I felt thankful for being able to make it to class this week and spend some time dedicated to my mind and spirit. My body got quite a workout too as I was still sweating when I got home!

Post workout, I was starving and I made a smoothie the moment I walked in the door.

In this mix:

1 handful spinach

1 cup coconut water

1 frozen banana

2 tbsp cacao powder

2 tbsp almond butter

Ice

This chocolaty combination of nut butter and banana is perfect for a refreshing and sweet smoothie! If you haven’t tried cacao in your smoothies, I highly recommend it. By this time, the sky was starting to clear and the BOY and I headed out for lunch and to do some errands in town, including the Farmer’s Market. We picked up some fresh veggies for a grilled fajita dinner.

They really do help me clear my mind and focus inwards, which is so hard in this crazy world! I feel lucky to have found this studio near my house. It has such a community feel and I love all of their teachers and classes!

Being Me

Welcome to my page! I am a 30 year old living in suburbia struggling to balance a full-time job in health care, healthy eating, and exercise along with all the other fun things I enjoy. I love to bake, run, travel, practice yoga, take pictures, cook, and share it all with you.

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